TankBud

Asian upside-down catfish

Mystus leucophasis

Also known as Burmese upside-down catfish, Asian upside-down bagrid

FreshwaterFish

Asian upside-down catfish (Mystus leucophasis)

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
11.8 in
30 cm
Minimum tank
50 gal
190 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Own kind
One per tank
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Bagridae
Origin
Native to the Sittang and other river systems of Myanmar.

Overview

The Asian upside-down catfish is a striking oddball, but it is a predator that will eat small tankmates, so pair it only with fish too big to swallow. It can be territorial and is usually kept singly, spending the day tucked under wood and hanging inverted. Feed frozen and live meaty foods, earthworms, and sinking pellets after dark. Give it a tank of at least 190 liters with heavy wood cover.

In the wild

This bagrid comes from the rivers of Myanmar, where it shelters in wood, roots, and shady overhangs and comes out to hunt at night. It has the unusual habit of resting and swimming inverted, often hanging belly-up beneath driftwood. Give it a dim tank with plenty of wood and cave cover, gentle to moderate flow, and soft to neutral water at 22 to 26 degrees C.

Good to know

Mystus leucophasis reaches about 30 cm and is one of the few Asian catfish, rather than the African Synodontis, that habitually swims upside down. It is a predatory bagrid with a large mouth and long barbels. Breeding is not recorded in aquariums.

Did you know

It looks a lot like an African Synodontis and shares their belly-up habit, but it is actually an Asian bagrid from Myanmar that happened to evolve the same upside-down trick.

Common questions

What size tank does an Asian upside-down catfish need?

An Asian upside-down catfish needs at least 50 gal (190 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does an Asian upside-down catfish need?

An Asian upside-down catfish is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

How big does an Asian upside-down catfish get?

An adult Asian upside-down catfish reaches about 11.8 in (30 cm).

Related species